This invention relates to flexible packaging for products, and particularly relates to methods for making such packaging that is reclosable after initial opening.
A variety of food and non-food products are packaged using flexible packaging materials formed primarily of laminations of one or more of polymer films, metallized polymer films, paper, metal foil, and the like. In many instances, packages contain products that may be used or consumed a little at a time, and the products may be susceptible to being adversely affected (e.g., becoming soggy, drying out, etc.) by exposure to the surrounding environment. Accordingly, there is frequently a desire to be able to reclose a package after its initial opening to keep product that remains in the package fresh.
Various opening and reclose arrangements have been developed for flexible packaging. Often, reclosability is achieved by using a pressure-sensitive adhesive label that is attached to the exterior of the package adjacent the location where the package is opened. Such labels are formed separately from the packaging structure itself and are added to the packaging structure. The labels thus represent additional expense. Furthermore, it is often necessary to ship a roll of the packaging material to a converter for application of the labels, after which the roll is shipped back to the packager for manufacture of the packages. This manufacturing process is inefficient. The use of labels also entails waste in that it is typically necessary to employ a release liner with the labels, which liner is removed and discarded. The labels are usually die cut from a web of material, and the skeleton left over after the die-cutting operation is also wasted.